Terrorists claim CIA files seized
Documents said to provide details of U.S. intel networks in Mideast

Posted: June 14, 2007
11:50 a.m. Eastern
By Aaron Klein

JERUSALEM – Terrorist groups, including Hamas and the Popular Resistance Committees, have seized large quantities of CIA security files stored at major compounds of militias associated with the U.S.-backed Fatah organization of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, terror leaders told WND today.

The terror leaders claimed the files contain, among other information, details of CIA networks in the Middle East.

"The CIA files we seized, which include documents, CDs, taped conversations and videos, are more important than all the American weapons we obtained the last two days as we took over the traitor Fatah's positions," said Muhammad Abdel-El, spokesman for the Hamas-allied Popular Resistance Committees terror group.

The Committees has been accused of carrying out anti-U.S. attacks, including a 2003 bombing of an American convoy in Gaza that killed three U.S. contractors.

Hamas has the past few days taken near-complete control of the Gaza Strip, advancing on the vast majority of Fatah security buildings and positions in the northern, southern and central sections of the territory.

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Hamas gunmen today captured the second of four major Fatah command centers in central Gaza City, planting the group's green flag on the roof of the intelligence services building. Also today, Hamas seized the Palestinian Preventive Security headquarters in Gaza, a major Fatah compound, reportedly executing witnesses and several defeated Fatah members.

According to Hamas sources, the terror group will soon advance on Gaza City's Ansar Compound, one of the most important Fatah security establishments and the site at which American weapons have been delivered to Fatah the past few years. Security sources say Ansar contains large quantities of weaponry the U.S. provided to Fatah.

Hamas and Popular Resistance Committees leaders told WND upon taking over Gaza City's Fatah compounds, particularly the Preventative Security Services building and intelligence compound, they seized large quantities of what they said were CIA files concerning the Middle East.

They said prior to Hamas' advances, Fatah officials attempted to destroy the CIA files but only succeeded in eliminating some.

U.S. security coordinators the past few years maintained a presence at Fatah's Gaza headquarters. The U.S. regularly trains and arms Fatah militias.

Abu Abdullah, a member of Hamas' so-called military wing, said, "Now our job is to study these files, which are already showing that they are crucial for our fight against the Zionists and anyone who collaborates with them, including the Americans."

Abdullah said the CIA documents they browsed so far contain "information about the collaboration between Fatah and the Israeli and American security organizations; CIA methods on how to prevent attacks, chase and follow after cells of Hamas and the Committees; plans about Fatah assassinations of members of Hamas and other organizations; and American studies on the security situation in Gaza."

Abdullah claimed the documents also detailed CIA networks in other Arab countries and "how to help beat Islamic allies of Hamas in other Arab countries, including Egypt and Jordan."

"We will use these documents and make portions public to prove the collaboration between America and traitor Arab countries," Abdullah said.

Committees Spokesman Abdel El told WND he was sitting in a Gaza mosque today pouring through some of the files on the Committees when he found his name mentioned in the documents four times.

"I am amazed by the material and the context of the documents," he said.

Hamas seized U.S. weapons

The U.S. in the past year has given large quantities of weapons to bolster Fatah in clashes against Hamas. Hamas officials repeatedly told WND they would seize any American weaponry provided to Fatah in Gaza.

Hamas' Al Aqsa Television yesterday and today broadcast footage of Hamas gunmen brandishing American assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and ammunition the U.S. reportedly provided to Fatah over the past few months. Hamas fighters also showed what they said were 10 American-provided armored personnel carriers the terror group said it seized from Fatah security compounds it took over Tuesday.

WND broke the story Tuesday that Hamas took control of large caches of U.S. weapons, including armored personnel carriers provided to Abbas' Fatah party.

Hamas Abu Abdullah commented, "We informed you many times we would obtain all American arms brought to Gaza in the conspiracy against our government."

Abu Abdullah said once Hamas takes over Gaza City's Ansar Compound his group would be "swimming" in American weaponry.

The last confirmed U.S. weapons transfer to Force 17 took place in May 2006 and consisted of 3,000 assault rifles, but WND reported multiple other transfers later were delivered to Fatah, including a cache of 7,000 rifles in January and about 8,000 assault rifles in February.

Many members of Force 17 are openly members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group, Fatah's declared "military wing" which took responsibility for every suicide bombing in Israel the past two years. The Jewish state regularly arrests Force 17 members accused of carrying out shooting attacks against Israelis.

WND reported last week PA President Abbas petitioned Israel to allow more weapons and munitions – including assault rifles provided by the U.S. – to reach his fighters in the Gaza Strip to bolster them against Hamas, according to diplomatic sources.

'Gaza has fallen'

Earlier yesterday, Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas agreed on the need to bring an end to the fighting between their respective parties, but a truce wasn't reached. Officials on both sides don't expect any momentum in dialogue between Hamas and Fatah until Hamas has taken over the entire Gaza Strip, which security sources say could happen within 24 hours.

A senior Palestinian Authority official from the Fatah party told WND today, "Gaza has fallen. It's now Hamas land. We (Fatah) have lost."

The official said Hamas seeks to create an "Islamic caliphate" in Gaza and that it is expected to put former Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar in control of the terror group's reign in Gaza.

Israeli security officials said they were "gravely concerned" about Iran's influence over the territory Hamas now controls.